Sluggers get solid pitching, pick up first win

LIMA – A three-run home run by Gabe Gonzalez put Lima on top 3-2 in the fourth inning and the Locos led the rest of the way in beating the Flag City Sluggers 8-3 on Sunday in a Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League game at Simmons Field.Tyler VanSumeren (2 RBI) and Nick Furnich had two hits each for Lima, which two of three games in the season opening LSCL season. Winning pitcher Grant Jolly and two relievers limited the Sluggers to six hits and combined for 13 strikeouts.Ty O'Brien had two singles and a double and drove in a run and Drew Tajblik and Fostoria grad Trenten Smith had RBI singles for Flag City (1-2), which begins a three-game home stand today against the Muskegon Clippers. Today's game and Wednesday's matchup will start at 6:05 p.m.' Thursday's game will start at 5:05 p.m.Flag City's first win came on Saturday when Jackson Urenovitch and Aidan Murphy delivered an outstanding pitching performance by blanking the Locos 4-0, also at Simmons Field.Urenovitch, a 6-foot-3 right-hander out of Anthony Wayne High School who pitches for Bowling Green State University, went the first six innings. He allowed two hits – both by VonSumeren – while walking three and striking out three.Murphy pitched three innings of near perfect relief. The 6-foot-4 right-hander who pitches for Bloomburg University walked the first man he faced and beaned the second, but then retired the next nine batters to secure the win.Flag City took a 2-0 led in the top of the fifth inning when Timothy Leark drew a bases loaded walk and Cameron Spezia scooted home on a ground out.The Sluggers tacked on two insurance runs in the ninth.Jimmy LaForce led off with an infield single and Smith pinch ran. Brett Reed delivered a one-out single, his third hit of the game, both runners advanced on a grounder to first, and Miles Mitchell came through with a clutch two-out, two-run single to right.The Sluggers are beginning their second season in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. Ben Babcock, currently the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for Defiance College, has stepped in for 2025 coach Tyler Smith. In his one season at the helm – and Findlay's initial season as a member of the GLSCL – Smith guided the Sluggers to a 17-17-3 record.Bill Johnston and Tom Davidson will assist Babcock during the 42-game regular season in which the Sluggers will play each of the other seven teams in the GLSCL six times in home-and-home series. The 35-mn roster includes college players from across the country and will include some local and area representation in Findlay's Ben Best, Van Buren's Grady Mason and Smith.Best, a right-handed pitcher, was 1-1 with one save for Ohio Northern University this past spring. Mason, also a right-handed pitcher, was 4-2 and struck out 37 batters in 38-2/3 innings for Owens Community College.Smith, an infielder, also played for Owens, hitting .200 with one home run and seven runs-batted-in for a team that went 27-16 and reached the championship game of the Region XII, Division III playoffs. SUNDAY'S GAMEFlag City 002 001 000—3 6 1Lima 000 310 22x—8 7 3WP—Jolly. LP—Faris (0-1). TOP HITTERS: (FC) O'Brien 2-1B, 2B, RBI; Smith 1B, RBI; Tajblik 1B, RBI. (LL) Gonzalez HR, 3 RBI; VanSumeren 2-1B, 2 RBI; Furnich 2-1B. SATURDAY'S GAMEFlag City 000 020 002—4 8 0Lima 000 000 000—0 2 1WP—Urenovitch. LP—Echols. TOP HITTERS: (FC) Reed 3-1b; Leark 1B, RBI; Mitchell 1B, 2 RBI. (LL), VanSumeren 2-1B. SLUGGERS 2026 SCHEDULEJune 9 – Muskegon Clippers at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.June 10 – Muskegon Clippers at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.June 11 – Muskegon Clippers at Findlay, 5:05 p.m.June 12 – Findlay at Hamilton Joes, 7:05 p.m.June 13 – Hamilton Joes at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.June 14 – Findlay at Hamilton Joes, 7:05 p.m.June 16 – Findlay at Southern Ohio Copperheads, 7:05 p.m.June 17 – Southern Ohio Copperheads at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.June 18 – Findlay at Southern Ohio Copperheads, 7:05 p.m.June 19 – Findlay at Grand Lake Mariners, 6:35 p.m.June 20 – Findlay at Grand Lake Mariners, 6:35 p.m.June 21 – Grand Lake Mariners at Findlay, 1:05 p.m.June 23 – Xenia Scouts at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.June 24 – Xenia Scouts at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.June 25 – Findlay at Xenia Scouts, 7:05 p.m.June 26 – Michigan Monarchs at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.June 27 – Michigan Monarchs at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.June 28 – Findlay at Michigan Monarchs, 4:05 p.m.June 30 – Findlay at Muskegon Clippers, 6:35 p.m.July 1 – Findlay at Muskegon Clippers, 6:35 p.m.July 2 – Findlay at Muskegon Clippers, 5:05 p.m.July 3 – Hamilton Joes at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.July 4 – Hamilton Joes at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.July 5 – Findlay at Hamilton Joes, 7:05 p.m.July 7 – Findlay at Xenia Scouts, 7:05 p.m.July 8 – Findlay at Xenia Scouts, 7:05 p.m.July 9 – Xenia Scouts at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.July 10 – Grand Lake Mariners at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.July 11 – Grand Lake Mariners at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.July 12 – Findlay at Grand Lake Mariners, 4:05 p.m.July 14 – Southern Ohio Copperheads at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.July 15 – Findlay at Southern Ohio Copperheads, 7:05 p.m.July 16 – Southern Ohio Copperheads at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.July 17 – Michigan Monarchs at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.July 18 – Findlay at Michigan Monarchs, 7:05 p.m.July 19 – Findlay at Michigan Monarchs, 4:05 p.m. July 21 – GLSCL All-Star Game July 23 – Lima Locos at Findlay, 6:05 p.m.July 24 – Findlay at Lima Locos, 7:05 p.m.July 25 – Lima Locos at Findlay, 6:05 p.m. July 27 – GLSCL Playoffs begin SwimmingFINDLAY – Over 300 swimmers representing 19 teams will descend on Findlay this weekend when the 43rd annual Flag City Invitational is held at Riverside Pool.The Westerville Aquatic Club, traditionally one of the stronger teams in the meet, will again field the largest contingent of swimmers with 87 competing. Hydra Aquatics will bring a 46-swimmer group to the event, with the Findlay YMCA Frogs Swim Team next with 37.Competition begins Friday afternoon with the first session running from 3:00-6:28 p.m. Two sessions will be held both Saturday and Sunday, with morning events from 8:30- 11:23 a.m. (older swimmers) and again from 1:30-4:30 p.m. (younger age groups). CORRECTION On Saturday, Findlay's 4x100 girls team, consisting of Josey Weihrauch, Olivia Gayhart, Katelynn Carpenter and Steffen, competed in the preliminaries. The quad placed 13th overall (48.95) and missed finals.